Model Racer
by galsbeingpals
Summary: AU SwanQueen fluff. Set in NYC, Regina and Emma meet and do things and fall madly in love etc etc etc... Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**I am starting yet another fic, I know. But this one will only be one (or maybe two…) chapter(s). I'm writing it because my friend just told me something totally horrifying and I want to take our minds off it. It is cute, SwanQueen fluff.**

* * *

MODEL:RACER

Two bottles of expensive red wine found their way into the shopping cart alongside the sweet snack-size apples, high fibre cereal, lean meat, and organic vegetables. Regina barely registered them as the cashier packed everything into bags and she pushed it out to the car. She ticked off her mental list of errands and chores. She still wanted to clean the kitchen before picking up Henry, her four year old, from his first day at Kindergarten.

She wasn't unhappy, she told herself as she slotted the bottles into the wine rack. She was just… Lonely. She put on purple rubber gloves and an apron and scrubbed every surface, the repetitive motion therapeutic for her stressed mind. She loved Henry. He was perfect, he was wonderful, he was her world… And he was four. Not too young, but too old! He had to see the world, he had to start school, meet other children. She couldn't keep him with her forever. She scrubbed harder, her hands cramping inside the gloves. She grimaced. She needed this.

She cleaned the oven inside and out. She swept and mopped and polished the floor, then moved to the bathrooms. Hers was quick, but the main one with the tub had vast potential for time filling. Regina drew the line at arranging Henry's bath toys in order of color and size. She had a feeling their apparent disarray was part of a long term adventure in her son's creative mind. All his toys had complex, intricate stories, which he had no trouble remembering and recounting.

When the time came to leave Regina had already opened a bottle of wine. She wobbled to her feet, largely due to her heels, and got in a taxi just in case. She hated herself. It was the most irresponsible thing she had done since she'd had him. She considered calling someone, but the only person who would be free at this time was her mother, and Regina had not even allowed Cora to meet Henry yet. She left the cab a block away from the school, going into a coffee shop and ordering a double espresso, swallowing it down in two rather desperate gulps. She gave herself a shake. She felt fine. Perfectly steady. Quite ridiculous.

"MOMMA!"

The scream suggested it had been weeks, rather than a few hours.

"Hey, sweetie," Regina said in the soft, comfortable tone she used only with her son. "How was it?"

"I missed you," Henry said loyally. "But it was AWESOME."

Regina had never heard him use the word before.

"Did you make friends?" she asked, curious. Her son was far more outgoing than she had been as a child.

"I did!" Henry exclaimed. "Hey, Becca," he called behind him. "Wanna meet my Momma?"

A tiny little girl with masses of blonde curls exploding from her head bounced over and beamed at Henry, then Regina.

"Hello," she said cheerfully, extending a hand. Regina's eyes widened as she shook it. Becca's manners rivalled Henry's.

Regina looked around. There did not seem to be any free parents.

"Is your Mommy or Daddy here?" she asked the girl.

"My Mom's coming. Sometimes she's late for things." Becca said this very matter-of-factly; she didn't seem to mind.

Regina assessed Henry's new friend more carefully. She wore jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt with a dinosaur on it. Her outfit and her accent suggested she was the one behind Henry's increased vocabulary. Regina quite liked it.

"How late?" Regina inquired. Becca shrugged.

"She always shows up," the girl said.

"Want us to wait with you?" Henry offered. Regina narrowed her eyes at her son, but altered the expression before he actually noticed. It was a kind offer, and they didn't actually have anything to get back to.

"If you like," Becca said.

The room was empty. With a nod to Regina, the teacher left too. Henry and Becca scurried over to the library corner. Regina followed them approvingly, sitting on a table and watching them select a book.

"Don't sit there," Henry told her. "Sit on the squishy with us."

Regina chuckled at his word for bean bag, then slipped off her heels, thanked her lucky stars she'd chosen to wear slacks, and sat down on the bag as elegantly as possible. The children nestled in beside her, one on either side. Becca thrust the book at her. It was a huge book of fairy tales.

"Which would you like?" she asked them, opening it at the contents page.

"That one!" Becca said immediately, pointing to "The Beauty and The Beast".

"Why that one?" Regina aske warmly, her affection for the confident little person growing by the second.

"'Cause it has 'buh' and 'buh'," Becca explained. "Like 'buh' for Becca. What's your name?"

Regina was momentarily embarrassed. "How rude of me, I'm so sorry I didn't say. I'm Ms- I'm Regina."

"Pleasetameetcha," Becca said happily.

"Read!" Henry demanded. Regina raised an eyebrow at him. He pouted.

"Please?" he asked. Regina ruffled his hair, and turned to the right page. She read clearly, doing all the voices, getting caught up in the old fashioned style of the story. She looked up at each child from time to time. They were both captivated. She smiled. Being a mother was the only thing she'd ever done where she felt truly comfortable, truly safe.

The door burst open, interrupting a dance scene the trio had been particularly enjoying.

"Go away Mommy, I'll be done in a minute," Becca said crossly. Her mother, with only slightly more mature blonde curls to go with her exquisitely mature figure, laughed loudly and flopped down on a bean bag opposite the group, only to remember where she was and snap back up again.

"I'm so sorry," she gushed, "I got helped up at work and my boss promised I could leave but then he didn't let me and you must think I'm a terrible mother but I swear I'm not I mean you've met Becca, you know I can't be that bad! You're her teacher?"

Regina smiled at the barrage of words. "Actually, I am not. I am Henry's mother. He suggested we wait with Becca until you arrived. And I do not think you're a terrible mother. Your daughter is adorable."

Becca grinned smugly. "Ador-ble," she repeated to her mother.

"Yeah, when you're not being a pain in my a-uh-butt," her mother said, rolling her eyes. She held out her hand to Regina.

"I'm Emma," she said.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Regina. And this is Henry."

Henry took his turn shaking Emma's hand, eyeing her curiously.

"Becca's hair is better," he decided. "But it was close."

Emma laughed again. "You're very handsome too, kid."

Regina caught her eye, and for a moment their gazes locked, green and brown eyes fixed together with something Regina hardly recognised. Emma blinked, breaking the connection, but neither woman could forget it.

"I… We were gonna go get Chuck-E-Cheese," Emma said awkwardly. "Like, to celebrate the beginning of a brilliant academic career. Right Becca?"

"Yes!" her daughter cheered.

"Do you… I don't s'pose… Do you wanna come?" Emma finally managed to ask.

Regina's answer was all prepared. Henry even felt it coming. She was terribly sorry, but they did not eat fast food. But something changed inside her, like a light turning on, or a shock going through her tired heart.

"If Henry wants to, we would be happy to accompany you," Regina said. Henry stared at her open mouthed.

"Really?" he whispered loudly. Regina nodded, smiling.

"I believe we shall be joining you," Regina said.

"Wait," Becca said suddenly. "You didn't finish the story!"

Regina looked at the book that was still in her hands, then up at Emma. "I would not normally indulge them, but there is only a page left…"

"Go ahead," Emma said, getting comfy on her beanbag. Becca snuggled back into Regina's side and Henry climbed onto his mother's lap. Regina rested her head on his chin. Becca looked a little jealous. Regina put an arm around her to make up for the change in seating, and read the final few paragraphs of the story.

"Thank you," Becca said, with only a slight prompt from her mother.

"You are very welcome. I enjoyed it."

The children scampered across the room to get their backpacks, and Emma and Regina made an ungainly show of getting up from their respective bean bags. Emma grinned.

"You don't dress like a mom," she observed.

"I don't see how my clothing affects my parenting," Regina said stiffly, stepping back into her heels.

"Four inches," Emma said, as if that explained everything. Regina looked at her feet. She had always worn heels.

"I see no problem with them," she replied to the blonde. Emma raised her eyebrows. Regina huffed her breath.

One greasy meal later, Regina was more than ready to go home. It wasn't that she didn't like the company, in fact, it was quite the opposite. Becca was a sweetheart, and Emma was… utterly captivating. Confident, full of spark, fooling around making herself frie-fangs, laughing openly… She was the sort of person Regina hardly ever encountered. She found herself giggling. Giggling. She had forgotten how much fun just… Just relaxing, could be. But that was the problem.

It was too good, too addictive, to easy to get used to. And this was a one time thing, a unique situation. Emma and Becca would be going home to Becca's father, and she and Henry would be going home alone. But they were all they needed, Regina insisted to herself.

Emma insisted they exchange cell numbers.

"You know, for like, babysitting and stuff. Or if I forget Becca again, you can call me and let me know."

"If you forget Becca, it is social services I will be calling," Regina muttered. Emma was fairly sure that she was joking.

"And now, Henry and I really must be going."

"But we'll see you tomorrow," Becca piped up.

"Yeah, we can read again," Henry said excitedly. "And then…" he trailed off, uncertain. Regina caught his eye.

"What is it, dear?"

Henry tilted his head to one side, then stood up on the seat of the booth so he could 'whisper' in Regina's ear.

"Can we invite Becca and Emma for dinner tomorrow?" he said, more than loud enough for their new friends to hear. Regina smiled.

"Of course we can. Thank you for asking permission. Why don't you invite them?" she mock whispered back. Henry jumped on the seat with glee.

"Becca! Do you and Emma want to come have dinner with us tomorrow? Momma makes the BEST lasagna."

Becca looked up at her mother with huge, pleading eyes.

"Don't look so desperate, kid. I wanna go too," Emma reassured her. "We'd love to. But I don't get off of work until six. Would that be okay?"

"That would be fine. Will it just be the two of you?" Regina asked in the politest way she could think of.

"Yes," Emma said firmly. "It's just the two of us. And…"

"Just the two of us too," Regina said.

"Geez, it's like a single moms group or something," Emma said.

"If I may ask, what is Miss Becca doing until six?"

Becca giggled at being called Miss, but Emma frowned.

"There's an after school club that runs until then…" she told Regina, but she seemed sad to admit that Becca would be going there.

"It is a little presumptuous, but perhaps Becca could come home with Henry and me after school and meet you?" Regina offered. Emma's eyes lit up.

"You would do that?"

"Of course."

"That would… I mean, but, are you sure?"

Regina narrowed her eyes. "I am perfectly sure. Accept help when it is offered, Emma."

She was teasing, though. Emma wondered where the warm, fuzzy feeling in her heart had come from.

"Okay. Becca, d'you wanna go to Henry and Regina's after school tomorrow?"

"Yes, please!"

Everyone smiled at her enthusiasm.

"What do you work as, Emma?" Henry asked.

"I…" Emma paused. She hated her job, she hated what it made people think about her. It was the exact opposite of everything she enjoyed. But it paid the bills. The big bills. Even bills for arguably the best private Kindergarten in New York. "I'm a model," she admitted.

"But she looks real to me," Henry whispered to his mother. Regina squeezed his hand.

"It's a different kind of model, I think. She wears clothes, and people take pictures, for magazines."

Regina hid her surprise as best she could, but it was hard to believe that this tank top wearing, pizza and fries devouring single mother was a model. Then again… She was more beautiful than any model Regina had ever seen. She was more beautiful than anyone Regina had ever seen…

"What about you, Regina?" Emma asked.

"I freelance," Regina said elusively.

"And what business would that be? Don't tell me. You can't say in front of the children."

Henry giggled, then promptly outed his mother. "She makes cars!" he almost yelled. Regina blushed.

"What he means is, I design the outward appearance of cars. Sometimes I have to go into offices, but most of the time, I am free to work from home."

"You? You design cars? How the hell did that happen?"

They were leaving the restaurant now, after both women insisted they pay for everything. Emma won, because Regina was cooking for them tomorrow.

"You need not be so surprised," Regina told her, more confident now. "It began when I was a teenager. I used to ride horses, but my passion for that stopped rather abruptly, and I switched to cars. I learned to drive, I've always liked speed… I majored in Art &amp; Design and Aerodynamics in college, for one of my final projects I had to design a car and the company where I interned asked to buy my design when I graduated. Since then I've never struggled to sell designs, but I refuse to be hired and forced into an office. I want my freedom."

They arrived back at the parking lot where Emma had left her car. Regina groaned at the battered yellow bug.

"It has sentimental value," Emma protested.

"Sentiment will not keep you upright in a side wind," Regina pointed out.

Emma looked around the lot.

"Which is yours?" she asked. None of the cars there really suited Regina.

"I took a taxi," Regina said. Emma looked at her questioningly but she pretended not to notice.

"Want a lift home, then? That way I can see where you live for tomorrow."

It was a good suggestion. They helped the children, who were chattering away about which dinosaurs were the best, into the back seat. Emma only had one car seat, so after a moment's deliberation, Regina sat in the back too, tucking Henry in the middle beside her so she could make sure he was safe.

"I feel like a chauffeur," Emma joked. "Where to, My Lady?"

Regina gave directions to her building, which was huge, glassy, and sparkling. Emma whistled. She wasn't poor, not at all, but she could only dream of living somewhere like this.

"Cars, huh?" she asked. Regina grinned. She hoisted Henry out with her, hurried through the goodbyes, and went inside. By the time the elevator had taken them to their apartment, Regina and Henry were both ready to crash.

"So, good first day?" Regina asked as Henry flopped onto the black leather sofa, pulling the white throw around him.

"The best," he said happily. Regina settled down beside him, rearranging the blanket so it covered her too, and pulling him onto her lap.

"I am very glad," she told him.

"I think you like Emma," Henry said. Regina gaped at him. Of course, he just meant it in the way that he knew the word, but Regina blushed anyway. Henry poked her cheek, noticing the redness but not really knowing what it was.

"But not her car," he added, grinning.

Regina laughed. "At least she has a car with character," she sighed. "A boring car would be worse."

"Maybe we should show her our car," Henry suggested, yawning a little at the end of his sentence.

"Which one?" Regina asked, wishing she wasn't so caught up in the idea of the new friendship. She didn't do this, she didn't get close to people. She knew it could only end one way - with her getting hurt, with her trust being broken. And yet she couldn't help plotting with Henry about how to impress their guests the next day.

"The evil dragon car!" Henry said. Regina chuckled. The evil dragon was her favorite, too. It was a black sports car, sleek, dark, and ridiculously powerful considering they lived in a city. She took it out to the test track when she needed some head space. She had only allowed Henry to go with her since his last birthday. She had dressed him up in leathers and a racing driver helmet, and driven far slower than she normally would have done. He had loved it. He said the car roared like a dragon and had an evil face.

Their other car was an economical red one with a lot more room in the back seat. Regina hadn't designed it, and Henry (aged two) had selected the color. This car, named, inventively, Red (another decision masterminded by Henry), was the one they almost always used. Evil Dragon only had city outings when Regina really wanted to show off.

* * *

Bathtime, bedtime, getting up, breakfast, and getting to school on time had all gone remarkably smoothly. Regina dropped Henry outside and let him go in on his own - he had asked if she would, he wanted to feel grown up. She drove Red back home and after a little thought, went upstairs to change into her favourite jumpsuit. She tied up her bouncy dark hair and grabbed her helmet. Driving always soothed her nerves, and boy, was she nervous about tonight.

She had some drawings to finish before collecting the children, but she had hours before she needed to worry about them.

An hour on the test track and all her fears were gone. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She felt like she was flying…

* * *

Back at the apartment, Regina stayed in her jumpsuit, unzipping it and tying the sleeves around her waist. She wore a black t-shirt underneath - she liked wearing all black when she drove. She blended with the car, blended with the road… And it just looked really cool. She laughed to herself as she sat down in her studio to draw. When she was done with work, she sat for a while, thinking, then pulled out another blank canvas. She drew people instead of cars this time, letting her mind run away with her, freeing her emotions in creating something beautiful.

Before she knew it her phone was buzzing, telling her it was time to go get the kids. She remembered Henry's old car seat at the last minute, and still in her jumpsuit (partly on purpose - Henry loved it), drove the red car to school.

Becca loved the outfit too.

"I have one like it," Henry gloated. "More, actually."

"Can I try one?" Becca asked shyly.

Regina looked at the children. Becca was a little smaller, but Henry's old suit would fit her. It was black. His new one was red (and he'd made her buy a matching one).

In the end both children changed when they got home, and somehow persuaded Regina to join them in their game of "evil racecars", in which she had to chase them around the apartment while they made engine and tyre screeching noises. Becca was fascinated by Regina's studio and all the tools and supplies she used for work, so when Regina had to make dinner, she set the kids up at the counter with some crayons and plastic rulers and protractors.

"I'm going to make cars too," Becca announced. Regina beamed with pride, one eye on the onions she was chopping, the other on Becca's drawing of a huge purple car. It had a unicorn horn on the front. And dinosaur teeth.

* * *

Emma made the right faces, stood in the right way… It was a lot like the way she imagined the army. Standing there having orders barked at you while you were exhausted and just wanted to go home to your kid. The shoot was fancy, posh assholes acting like she was nothing more than a doll. She wanted to scream at them. But she did what she was paid to - she kept her mouth shut and looked pretty for the cameras, glancing at the clock far too frequently to see if she could go to Regina's yet.

She blushed. She wasn't desperate to see Becca, her DAUGHTER, she was desperate to see Regina, the woman she had only just met, the WOMAN she had only just met, because the butterflies she had in her stomach when she thought about the brunette were caused by the most excitement she had ever experienced.

It had been forever since she'd felt like this. She wasn't sure if she'd ever really felt it. She'd thought she had, with Becca's dad, but he'd turned out to be just another jerk. She couldn't trust it, it wasn't safe… But Regina was so… So put together, so adorable and shy, somehow, despite her powerful demeanor.

Emma groaned inwardly. She really didn't know if the industry would go for it. Sure, they dug the bad girl thing - one of her first shoots had actually had a prison theme! But the gay thing… She wasn't so sure. She wasn't ashamed, but she needed her job. She needed the money to be consistent, absolutely until Becca was through college.

In the last four years she had completely turned her life around. She hardly recognised herself, and she didn't think her foster families would either, even if they saw her picture on a billboard or in a magazine. It had all been because of Becca, and she couldn't have been happier about it. When she had decided to keep the baby, she had promised herself she had to give this beautiful little person the best possible life. Her best chance - and Emma had proved that Becca's best chance WAS with her own mother. Emma had been given up and she had never forgiven her unknown parents for what they had put her through. She wasn't going to risk anything with her daughter.

The clock hit six.

"I'm out," Emma said, walking off the set. "You kept me late yesterday. I gotta go."

"Fine," the director grumbled. His name was Gall, Gold, something like that. "Don't forget the launch party of the fall line on Friday. You still haven't run your date by me…"

"Look, trust me, if I bring someone, they'll be gorgeous and they'll fit right in. And their outfit will complement mine, okay?"

"Very well. Until tomorrow, Miss Swan."

Emma left, changing as fast as was humanly possible, grabbing her stuff, and running down the hallway to the elevator, which took her to the underground parking lot. She drove to Regina's only slightly recklessly, combing her fingers through her hair as she marched confidently into the lobby. Regina had given her the apartment number so she went straight to the elevator. The doorman gave her a few sideways glances, but said nothing, so she ignored him.

* * *

The lasagna was in the oven, Becca and Henry had set the table, and Regina was about to go and change when there was a knock on the door. Pulling her hair loose and quickly shaking it out, she opened the door. A fluffy blonde cannonball overtook her as it charged into its mother's arms.

"Mommy," Becca said happily. "Finally."

"I could say the same to you, Becks. Hey," Emma said looking up. Henry was now peering around Regina's legs, and the coordinating outfits were obvious. "I didn't get the theme party memo."

"Momma has a red-" Regina silenced her son with a glare. He just giggled.

"Maybe another time, kid," Emma chuckled, following Regina into the apartment. It was enormous.

"Mm, something smells amazing. Is there anything you can't do?" Emma asked.

A few choice answers flitted through Regina's mind, but she was smart enough to swat them away before they could be shared.

"I've yet to find anything," she said smugly. Emma rolled her eyes.

"So modest, too."

Regina grinned. "How was your day?"

The children went back to their drawing. Emma helped Regina put the finishing touches to dinner as they talked, then helped the kids wash up and settled them at the table. Regina washed her hands in the kitchen sink, then served lasagna to her hungry racers.

The blonde did dishes too, Regina noticed. Dinner was over, Becca and Henry had been excused to play, and the adults were cleaning up. They fitted together so perfectly Regina thought she must be dreaming. The jobs were all finished in no time, and they settled on the couch, Regina playing with the hem of the throw to hide her gradually returning nerves.

"Thank you," Emma said. "For watching Becca, and for that wonderful dinner."

"Anytime," Regina said. She meant it.

"I… I don't suppose you're busy on Friday," Emma blurted out. "It's just that I have this launch party thing and I hate them and I have so much fun with you and I know you don't know me very well but you do the voices in fairytales and if I don't bring someone they'll set me up with some awful male model-"

Regina gently pressed a finger to Emma's lips.

"Let me know what you're wearing so I can work something out. And let me know where your place is so I can pick you up in my good car."

Emma stared at her new friend. Regina took away her finger; Emma felt little shocks on her skin where it had been.

"Really?" she whispered.

"I would love to. I'll find a sitter for Henry."

Regina didn't know what it was about Emma's babble that was so endearing, but the convoluted request had been impossible to turn down.

"Would you like me to take Becca after school again tomorrow?" Regina offered. "I don't know your schedule but if it would help, we had a great time…"

"I think I must have imagined you," Emma murmured.

"And why is that, dear?"

""Because you're so perfect, you're so kind, you're so… Yes, please… I mean, if you could. Just this week, I'm so busy with the launch, they have me in last minute photoshoots and I have no time to organize anything. And… You have to let me do something for you."

"You're taking me on a date. Isn't that enough?"

Regina had meant the question lightheartedly but she blushed bright red when she realised what she had said. Emma had not said it was a date. But-

"A date, huh? But Friday doesn't count. That's work. If it's a date you want, let me take you on Monday morning."

"The proper time for dates."

"Well, exactly. Plus, I have it off work and the kids will be at school."

Regina found herself nodding eagerly.

What the hell was she getting herself into?

* * *

**Thanks for reading! It really was just going to be one chapter, but I will do my best to have the second (and probably concluding) chapter tomorrow. It's just meant to be a SQ quickie. I hope you like it, see you soon! x**


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much for all the amazing feedback! I'm sorry this is only going to be short, but I'm writing so many other things (LIKE MIDTERMS DUE MONDAY) that I don't want to commit to anything else. Excuse the cover art, I drew it... Oh, and if you want to follow me on twitter for general amazingness, my name is the same there as it is here.

* * *

Becca spent the afternoon with Henry and Regina on Wednesday and Thursday. The children brought with them exciting tales of "school", although it seemed that in Kindergarten the majority of their time was spent singing and playing. They were making friends with another girl, Grace (although Becca was rather jealous) and had developed a kind of hatred (which Regina tried to discourage) of a boy named Peter. They had also learned that they could take home books from the library if they signed them out properly, so the book of fairytales now lived in Henry's backpack, to be produced at regular intervals for Regina to read.

On Thursday they baked apple and cinnamon cookies. Becca was trying to make a dragon.

"We have a dragon," Henry said. Becca gaped at him, then looked around the apartment.

"Where?" she whispered.

Regina chuckled. "She lives in the basement. But Henry, remember, I want to surprise Emma with her tomorrow. So no more dragon stories until the weekend, okay?"

At the mention of the weekend, Henry's face fell.

"At Kindergarten today the teacher said there's no school on Saturday OR Sunday," he declared miserably. Regina laughed.

"When you're older, I'm sure you'll be happy about it."

Henry shook his head furiously. "Won't see Becca for TWO WHOLE DAYS!"

Becca nodded in agreement. "Although… Mom doesn't work on the weekend." She smiled. "We go to the park. Or the animal shelter."

"Are there dragons?"

"No. But there are cats that hiss!"

Henry's eyes widened. "Momma, can we go there?"

"I'll ask Emma about it, where it is and so on. How about that?"

"Yes! Maybe she can show us."

Regina placed her heart shaped cookie on the tray. "We can ask," she allowed.

"I can show you my animals!" Becca said happily. "I'm done," she added to Regina. Regina squinted at the blob of cookie dough. In a way, yes, she could see that it was a dragon.

"What's yours, Henry?"

"It's a unicorn," he said, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. The unicorn joined the dragon on the tray.

The rest of the dough was formed into various blobs by the children, who seemed to have lost interest in taking their time, although they continued to insist that the weird shapes resembled mythical creatures.

Regina put the cookies in the oven and showed the children the clock.

"When the big hand points to eight, they'll be ready to come out."

"What time will it be then?" Henry asked.

"Ten minutes to five."

"And what time is it now?" Becca wanted to know.

"Half past for. A half hour is thirty minutes, because a full hour is sixty."

Becca nodded, squinting at the clock, watching the second hand tick round.

"Tick, tick," she said. "What's the ticks for?"

"What are the ticks for," Regina repeated, correcting the sentence without criticising the child. "Well, each tick is a second. There are sixty seconds in a minute."

"I can count seconds!" Henry said happily. "One dinosaur, two dinosaurs, three dinosaurs…"

Regina grinned at his grammatical method.

"How many dinosaurs do the cookies need?" Becca asked.

"Uhm… Well, twenty minutes, so that's twenty lots of sixty dinosaurs, which is one thousand and two hundred seconds, or dinosaurs."

Henry and Becca gasped. "That's so many!" Henry said, shocked.

"It must be boring for the clock to sit counting for so long," Becca said thoughtfully. "I can count to a hundred, though!"

"I can count there faster!" Henry said happily, remembering something.

"Oh yeah?" Becca challenged.

"One, two, miss a few, ninety nine, a hundred!" Henry shouted. Regina looked at the children, who were covered in flour and cookie dough. Becca licked her finger.

"You cheated," she accused Henry.

Regina laughed. "I have to agree, dear. Now, let's get the two of you cleaned up before Becca's mother arrives and starts questioning my childcare skills."

Becca kept looking back at the clock.

"When's my Mommy coming?" she asked.

"She thought it would be around ten past five."

Becca frowned. "How does the clock say that?"

Regina thought for a moment, then took the clock off the wall and put it on the counter, which she had now wiped down. She explained what each of the hands were for, fielding numerous questions like why they were called hands when they were actually more like needles, and why the big hand pointed to the two when it meant ten past.

"I like your racer clothes better," Becca told Regina when she took her apron off showing her figure hugging gray dress and black heels.

"I've always dressed like this," Regina admitted. "It's to do with my family," she confessed.

"My Mom used to tell me what to wear," Becca said. "But now I choose my own clothes."

Regina nodded. Today Becca had selected a purple tutu, a yellow t-shirt, leggings with a kind of aztec print, and black chuck taylors.

"What's that?" Henry asked, pulling at the tutu.

"It's a tutu. Dancers wear it," Becca said, spinning around.

"Can I have one?" Henry asked.

Regina paused, slightly wrong footed, but Becca rescued her.

"I have leggings. Wanna try mine?"

Henry nodded eagerly. Becca pulled off the tutu and he put it on over his shorts. Becca giggled.

"You look pretty," she told him. He laughed with her and they began to run around the apartment again. Regina kept an eye on the cookies and thought about her dress. She supposed her racing clothes were the ones she chose because she actually liked them. But Becca had given her a sudden urge to go shopping for clothes she would enjoy wearing.

* * *

Emma had shown off her dress the previous evening. Now, on the morning of their "date", Regina was at the mall, looking for the perfect outfit to go with it. She had a closet full of cocktail dresses, but Henry's love for the tutu had given her another idea.

She bought what she needed for the outfit, sparing no expense, and was about to leave when she thought about Becca's outfit again. She deliberated, but finally bought herself a few more things, including a pair of sweatpants. She had never owned such a garment before, but the soft fabric seduced her. She could wear them to draw. No one ever needed to see them.

Emma's shoe comment had her thinking, too. She went to her favourite shoe store and bought some black leather ankle boots, stylish, comfortable, and with no heel. She thought about how tiny she'd feel wearing them. Her heels gave her stature, they allowed her not to be looked down on while she worked in an incredibly male-dominated field. She loved her work, she'd never had any trouble, but even in college, she had stood out as one of two girls on the course. The other girl had greasy hair and no apparent awareness of fashion, and Regina had envied her from the beginning. The guys treated her normally. Regina, on the other hand, had been teased, cat called, and treated as if she was completely inferior.

She had proved them all wrong, coming top in her class, scoring the best internship, never struggling to sell her designs. Her mathematical brain also helped her to invest some of her money. She didn't trust banks, and she was very careful, but she had multiplied her first paycheck into millions within a few years.

She carted all her bags back to the car, stopping at a coffee shop instead of going home. She would just be picking Henry up today, she thought as she sipped her latte. The idea felt strange. She had already become used to Becca and her outgoing, curious personality.

She was early to his school even after the coffee. She considered staying in the car instead of joining the group of parents chatting by the gate, but a tall blonde at the edge of the group changed her mind.

"Hello," she said, her voice more stern than she had intended. That happened when she was nervous. Somehow, seeing Emma when their children weren't there was a lot more difficult than seeing her with Henry and Becca for protection.

"Hey," Emma said, smiling. "I was hoping you'd be here. Are you still on for later?"

"Of course. I am glad to see you managed not to be late."

"I'm never late on purpose," Emma protested, although she realised that wasn't really saying much. Regina smirked.

"How was work?"

"I was only in for an hour this morning, so it was great," Emma grinned. "I'm looking forward to some time with Becca. I feel awful about this week. Thank you so much for taking her."

"It was a pleasure. She is wonderful company."

"You'll have to let me watch Henry sometime."

"The next time I have an engagement with someone other than yourself, I will let you know," Regina promised.

"You're seeing other people?" Emma asked, pretending to be hurt. Well, mostly pretending. Regina laughed.

"The engagements are hypothetical. They will probably be work meetings."

"That sounds much better-"

Emma might have said something else, but she was cut off by two children hurtling out of the school.

"Wait, why are you here?" Becca asked. "I wanna go home with Regina."

Regina laughed. Emma made a face. "Don't you like me any more?"

Becca shrugged. "Regina drives racecars."

Regina winked. "It always gets me in with the ladies," she joked. Emma swatted her arm, then picked up Becca.

"I AM a racecar," she said, whirling her daughter around her head. Regina watched Emma's muscles ripple as she exerted them.

"My turn!" Henry begged. Emma switched children, setting Becca down and giving Henry the same flying session. She gave him back to Regina.

"See you later," she said.

"I'll be there at eight," Regina told her.

"Can we come?" Henry asked.

"'Fraid not, kid. You wouldn't like it anyway, it's super boring, just a bunch of grown ups pretending they care about what the other ones are saying," Emma consoled him. "But hey, maybe after school on Monday we can all go to the park?"

"And the carousel?" Becca asked.

"We'll see," Emma told her. They parted ways, Henry and Becca waving to each other as they got into their respective cars.

* * *

Henry had conceded that Kathryn wasn't so bad. Regina's best friend since college, Kathryn worked in PR for the company Regina had interned for. Kathryn had wickedly suggested that Henry sleep at her house (she had a son a little older than him with her husband Freddie, and they'd always been friends), and Regina had found herself agreeing.

So Regina was alone getting ready, doing her make up, hoping she looked good enough for the inevitable red carpet. It wouldn't be her first, but she wasn't a fan. She had never liked having her picture taken, not since the scar… But tonight, she embraced it. She painted over the indent with bright red lipstick, but did nothing to hide it. She'd tried fillers, cover up, she'd even considered surgery. But now the scar was a part of her.

She shook a hand through her hair, leaving it looking professionally tousled, and put on her favorite black stilettos. Emma was wearing red, so black had been the obvious choice for her outfit.

The dragon roared in the underground parking lot, the sound of the engine echoing in the cool, dark space. Regina grinned. It had been so long since she'd done anything like this. Sure, Emma was just a new friend, but this event sounded like a big deal, and Emma had asked Regina.

* * *

This was a dress Emma actually wished she could keep. Tight, red, floor-length… The design was based on a simple fairytale gown. In a way it was even simpler than that. Less puffy, more floaty. They were going for a block color thing. Red. Her hair was down, tumbling over her shoulders and back. The dress was so long she could wear whatever she wanted on her feet, so she had opted for black chuck taylors.

Becca had insisted she dress up too, so she was wearing a plain red t-shirt of Emma's, and her matching sneakers. Emma dug out a red silk ribbon from the Christmas decorations box and tied it around her daughter's waist.

"We're princesses," Becca said happily.

"I thought you wanted to be a knight," Emma teased.

"Princesses can fight baddies too," Becca informed her. "In the story book at school, princesses are always sword fighting and horse riding and having adventures."

"I like the sound of this book. Is that the one Regina was reading on the first day?"

"Yeah. We still have it, it's at her house."

"Maybe we can all read it on Monday."

"I think YOU should read, Mommy. Regina always reads. She does voices."

"I read. I read to you every night!"

"But you should read when everyone is there."

Emma blushed. She was quite nervous about reading aloud. She enjoyed reading, but she hadn't done well in school and she had very little confidence. It was okay with Becca, but Becca was used to her. She hardly noticed when Emma stumbled over words. It wasn't that Emma couldn't read them, she was smart, she liked it… She just didn't say them right when she was under pressure.

"We'll see," Emma said. Becca narrowed her eyes, something she had picked up from Regina in the last week. Emma tried not to grin.

"That's a bad answer," Becca told her.

"Sorry, kid. I'll try, okay?"

Becca sighed elaborately. "Okay. It's my bedtime, isn't it?"

Emma did grin this time. "I'm afraid so."

"Will you _tell_ a story?"

Emma started the story while Becca took off her shoes and brushed her teeth. They hung the ribbon on her mirror; they decided she could sleep in the shirt.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Rebecca. She had long blonde hair and big green eyes, and she was incredibly smart. Her favorite food was pizza-"

"And chocolate," Becca said through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Right, and chocolate. She lived in a huge castle with her Mom, the Queen. One day-"

"Wait! What about the prince and the other queen?"

"Ah, you mean… Prince Henry and Queen Regina?"

Becca spat out her toothpaste. "Duh!"

"Okay. So the Queens and the prince and the princess lived in the castle and they were super happy there. Because castles are awesome. But one day Princess Becca heard a roaring sound coming from one of the dungeons."

Emma picked up her daughter and carried her to bed. Her friend August was already on the couch, watching TV. He leaned around and winked at Becca. She smiled at him.

"So, Becca was a very curious princess, so she… she and Prince Henry went down to the dungeon to investigate."

Emma tucked Becca into bed, turning on the nightlight and turning off the main one. She tucked a strand of Becca's hair behind her ear.

"What was in the dungeon?" Becca asked sleepily.

"There was a huge, fierce dragon! It was as big as a house, bright red, and when it roared it breathed fire and sparks and smoke."

"Did Becca and Henry slay the dragon?"

Emma paused. "No. They were going to. They pulled out their swords, but then Becca looked into the dragons eye, it was yellow with a black diamond in the middle, and she saw a flicker of something. Of sadness. So she called to Henry, who was about to stab it, and they dropped their swords and held up their hands to show they didn't want to hurt the dragon.

"'Are you a nice dragon?' Becca asked. The dragon made a purring sound, and just a little bit of steam came out of its nose. Henry gasped.

"'I think it is a nice dragon!' he exclaimed. 'Do you want to be our friend?' he asked the giant beast in front of them. The dragon nodded its big ugly head. So Becca and Henry didn't slay the dragon. Instead, they unlocked its chains and let it fly to freedom. It flew away into the sky, but on special occasions it came back and gave Becca and Henry flying lessons."

Becca smiled. "The story means something, right?" she asked.

Emma chuckled. "It sure does. It means it's time to sleep now. And it means, sometimes things that roar and breathe fire are just scared, and if we give them a chance, they can be our friends."

Becca closed her eyes. "I agree. Goodnight Mommy."

"Goodnight, Becca. I love you." She kissed Becca's forehead.

"I love you too," Becca whispered.

Emma left the room, adjusting the dream catcher above Becca's bed on her way out.

Her phone buzzed from on top of the counter.

"I am here. I did not want to wake Becca. R."

Emma laughed at Regina's texting, punched August on the arm by way of a goodbye, and left the apartment. She held her keys and phone; she would leave them in the car. She hated carrying a purse. It was pockets or nothing.

She pulled open the main door of her building to see nothing she'd expected.

Regina was wearing a tux. A stylish, elegant, fitted tux and black stiletto heels, but it was… it was still a tux. And it was perfect. She had a ribbed white shirt buttoned up just enough to be decent, and an untied bow tie around her neck. She wore red lipstick that matched Emma's dress, and her hair was loose, framing her face exquisitely.

"You look…" Emma breathed, entirely unable to express herself. Regina grinned.

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself."

Emma blushed, fiddling with her hair.

"Shall we?" Regina suggested. Emma nodded, following Regina to her car.

Her CAR.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Emma exclaimed as Regina pressed a button on her keys making the doors flip up.

"I assure you, I am perfectly serious. This is my car."

Emma thought she might be drooling. She looked at the car, then at Regina, then back at the car again.

"It's… It's a racecar. I mean, I knew you did that but I didn't expect you to drive… Something so cool," she finished lamely. Regina laughed loudly.

"Henry calls it the evil dragon, because it roars," she said, guiding Emma into her seat.

"Hell, its so comfy, too," Emma said, feeling the soft leather hug her body.

"Of course it is. I designed it."

"Can I drive?" Emma asked.

"Absolutely not," Regina huffed, but conceded. "Maybe on the test track, one day…"

Emma grinned. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

Emma directed Regina to the hotel where the launch was being held. Regina drove as fast as was legal (and sometimes a tiny bit faster) and the way she handled the car had Emma gripping her seat for more reasons than one. How could someone be so hot when they were just driving? Everybody drove, she saw people driving all the time! But Regina's bright, alert eyes, her smooth, deliberate movements, the way she bit her lip when she drifted the car around the final corner…

The car screeched to a halt at the red carpet. Regina loved to make an entrance. Emma breathed out slowly as the doors lifted up.

"Don't get up," Regina whispered. She jumped out of the car and appeared at Emma's side, holding out a hand, helping her out. Before Emma knew what was happening, she was out of the car and cameras were flashing everywhere, nearly blinding her. She could feel Regina's grip on her arm tighten. Neither of them were quite used to this much attention. Emma knew what to do, though. She adjusted, putting her arm around Regina's waist, guiding her along the carpet, stopping in front of the classier photographers, smiling her well known smile. Regina pretended not to be completely overwhelmed and smiled with Emma, managing to only think of her scar once.

It wasn't really the scar. She knew she was attractive, she knew the scar took nothing away from that. It was the story behind the scar, everything she hid… If anyone asked, she avoided the question, saying it was a silly accident when she was a child.

And then they were inside and there was a glass of champagne in her hand and everyone looked at Emma with admiring recognition and then at Regina with surprise and interest, and… something Regina decided to ignore.

"They're just looking at you because they're jealous you get to spend the night with me," Emma whispered in her ear.

"I didn't realise I was spending the night," Regina whispered back seductively. Emma felt butterflies.

"Looking like that, I don't think I could deny you anything," Emma returned.

"I could say the same to you."

"In that case, I think you may well be spending the night," Emma said, smiling wickedly.

They drank, in the center of the room yet undisturbed.

"Don't you have to talk to people?" Regina asked, unsure of how the launch party worked.

"Nah. Models are seen and not heard," Emma said happily. "I just have to look pretty for a couple of hours, then we can go have fun."

Regina thought for a moment. "If we stick to one glass, I could take you to the test track."

Emma gaped at her. "Really? I didn't think you meant it."

"Why not? I'm insured," Regina said with a twinkle in her eyes. "And I brought two suits and two helmets."

"You planned this?"

"I love to drive at night, but I rarely leave Henry. It seemed too good an opportunity to miss."

"You always surprise me," Emma told her. Regina chuckled.

"It's been less than a week, dear. I'm sure I'll bore you soon enough."

Though she was joking, there was a hint in her tone that she believed what she said. Emma squeezed her hand.

"Never," she promised. Regina caught her eye.

The world froze. Everything stopped. They were alone, so wonderfully alone in the crowded function room.

"Never." It echoed in Regina's mind, flooding her body, filling her heart.

"You are impossible," Regina whispered. Emma had heard the phrase many times, angry foster parents, frustrated teachers… But Regina meant something completely different, something so amazing Emma could hardly believe it.

"So are you," Emma replied. They were mere inches from each other, they could taste each other's breath, feel each other's heartbeats.

Suddenly, the flash of a camera broke them out of their reverie. Emma felt the bright, intrusive light jolt through her, then gripped Regina's hand tighter, pulling away and pulling her out of the room. Soon they were running, Regina laughing as she caught sight of Emma's sneakers under her dress.

"Wait," Regina called, giggling. She stepped out of her heels, holding them in her free hand as Emma dragged her back to running. There were more pictures, everyone stared. Emma didn't even see them. She ran backwards, beaming at Regina's glowing eyes. Regina was entirely captivated.

They were outside now, spinning. Emma saw Regina's feet and swung her off the ground, carrying her like a groom would carry a bride. Their laughter sang around the parking area; Emma yelled for the valet and he went to find their keys. Emma set Regina on the hood of the car, standing between her legs, leaning over her. Regina felt every cell in her body stand to attention. Emma wasn't even touching her. Her lips parted; her breathing was heavy, unsteady.

Emma caught the keys from the valet.

"To be continued," she murmured to Regina as she unlocked the car and took her seat.

* * *

Two chapters have become three… I couldn't resist the cliffhanger *evil laugh*. But the finale will be up tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Warning - I do not rate M for nothing. Also, is there, like, a thesaurus of sex words somewhere..? I feel that my vocabulary is getting left behind. Thank you so much for reading, and for all the pleas for more chapters. I'll see what I can do, but take this as the end for now. SO MUCH LOVE!

* * *

Regina drove barefoot to the abandoned airfield that was now the test track. Emma rolled down her window and let the wind rush through her hair, cooling her flushed cheeks. Regina's hand drifted from the shifter (she vastly preferred the manual gearbox) and found Emma's fingers. Their hands twisted together. They didn't even look at each other, they stared out at the road instead, watching the white lines fly past, the streetlights zooming by like shooting stars.

Emma never wanted the journey to end. In this car, in this place… Everything was where it should be. She had never felt anything like this, with Becca, with her life, she hadn't had time, but even before that… She had never felt safe like this. She had never felt someone else's hand wound up with hers and felt that it was right.

Regina pulled up at the small building, containing a bathroom, some chairs, and a coffee machine. She led Emma inside, only letting go of her hand for the brief moment when they got out of the car. They brought the clothes inside to change, but when they went in, neither of them turned the lights on. The floodlights from the track illuminated the room a little, everything had a dull, silvery glow.

Emma dropped Regina's hand and stared at her, the way the limited light played across her face, shining in her eyes, throwing dancing shadows on her skin. It was dead quiet, but the quiet meant peace. It meant they were alone, and together.

Emma turned her back on Regina; Regina placed her hands on Emma's bare shoulders, then slowly undid the zipper at the back of the flowing red dress. It fell to the floor in a pool of silk, leaving Emma standing in nothing but simple black underwear and her sneakers. Regina reached for the jumpsuit, but Emma stopped her. She turned, giving Regina a full view of her toned body, then closed any space between them, capturing Regina's lips with her own.

Tongues clashed, there was no question of waiting, no possibility of taking it slow. Regina was almost small without her shoes, but her passion and confidence gave her height far beyond the physical. She devoured Emma, this mysterious woman who had somehow become her family in five short days. Emma pushed back, deepening the kiss, tugging at Regina's shirt and jacket. They stumbled a little as they tried to remove more clothes without ever separating their mouths, but it wasn't long before they were both down to their underwear.

There was a faint taste of champagne as they continued to kiss, hands resting on waists as they prepared to accelerate. Regina moaned softly as Emma bit down on her lip, just enough to send sparks surging down her body.

"Wait," she said suddenly, pulling away.

"What?" Emma asked breathlessly.

"I… This isn't just one time?"

Regina wondered if she could have made it more awkward if she'd tried, but Emma just smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere," Emma said, pulling Regina back in, their hips crashing together. "Are you?"

Regina opened her mouth to say no but Emma swallowed her words with another kiss, even more desperate than the first. Their hands were no longer still; they explored smooth skin with a hunger, a need, that neither of them had even acknowledged before.

Regina knew the room better than Emma. She swung them towards the couch, pushing Emma back until her knees were knocked out by the seat. She moved to straddle the blonde, twisting her hands in long curly hair and kissing wildly, moving her kisses gradually downward, along Emma's jaw, neck, collarbone-

Emma pushed back, almost crying out with desire as she rolled Regina beneath her. She pressed her thigh between Regina's legs, enjoying the gasp of pleasure she elicited before kissing those full, red lips yet again.

Regina bucked her hips as Emma smeared lipstick at the base of her neck, sucking at her pulse point in a delectable way. Emma mirrored the movement, using her knee to wind Regina even higher.

Regina sat up, not wanting to overtake by too much. She was still wearing her red lacy bra; it rubbed against Emma's pert nipples, making Emma moan, pressing their bodies closer. They knelt together on the couch; Emma unfastened Regina's bra and they shuffled, extracting the garment from the tangle of their bodies. Regina giggled; it shook their bodies in a way that made Emma see stars, then with newfound strength, she pushed Regina back and brought her mouth to a breast, sucking hard as Regina's back arched into her. She continued to play with it with her teeth and tongue, then moved across to the next one, Regina writhing beneath her.

Emma snaked a hand down to Regina's inner thigh, brushing briefly against wet red lace. She grinned into Regina's skin, then proceeded to pepper kisses down her ribs and stomach. Regina moaned again, desperate for release but at the same time, never wanting the fire in her body to end.

Emma moved swiftly, getting the red lace panties out of the way and swiping her tongue along the length of Regina's sex. Regina let out a sound close to a scream.

"Fuck, Emma," she managed to say as Emma's tongue explored her folds, her entrance, always falling just short of where Regina wanted it most. She grabbed Emma's hair, holding her in place. Emma chuckled, causing her tongue to slip over Regina's swollen center.

Regina bucked her hips involuntarily. Emma grinned into her new favourite place and after a few more skilled swipes of her tongue, latched her mouth onto Regina's clit and sucked, hard, holding her hips to guide her through her orgasm until she floated down in a series of aftershocks.

Regina tasted herself on Emma's lips as their bodies melted together on the couch. She rolled carefully on top, leaning down to decorate Emma's body with kisses in a similar way to what the blonde had done to her, holding Emma's hand as she did so. Her free hand danced across Emma's skin, tracing patterns steadily lower, finding its way into her underwear, pulling them out of the way. She traced Emma's slit with her finger, the sensitive skin just as soaked as she was.

Regina almost came apart again when she saw the look in Emma's eyes. Their gazes locked as she added her middle finger to her index, and gently massaged Emma's folds, then slipped inside her, pushing harder at Emma's incredibly positive reaction. Her pace increased; she knew how much Emma needed this if her own feelings were anything to go by.

She rubbed her thumb against Emma's core with every thrust, angling herself to push deeper, more smoothly. She didn't notice Emma's leg between her own until Emma raised her knee, causing chaos in her already aroused body. She continued the motion of her fingers, leaning down for another kiss, her tongue copying her hand. At the last moment she moved her head back to meet Emma's open eyes, watching as Emma exploded beneath her.

Emma's cries would have been enough, but the jerk of her thigh made Regina collapse on top of her, spasming with her second orgasm. Emma moved to hold them together, keeping their eyes on each other as they came back to earth.

"So," Emma said after a minute of blissful silence. "Can I drive your racecar now?"


End file.
